RBC Training Ground identifies 25 athletes with Olympic potential

TORONTO, December 13, 2016 - RBC, in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Foundation (COF), Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and CBC Sports, today introduced 25 young Canadian athletes, identified at RBC Training Ground events, who will now receive ongoing support through the program. RBC Training Ground is an innovative program designed to test and link undiscovered athletes with a sport that could excel them onto the podium.

"We believe when we invest in youth, great things happen," said Matt McGlynn, vice president, brand marketing, RBC. "RBC Training Ground provides young Canadian athletes with the opportunity to challenge themselves against National Sport Organizations performance standards, and these 25 athletes rose to the occasion. We are proud to have helped uncover their talent and provide the necessary support they’ll need to accelerate their Olympic dream.”

RBC Training Ground is a series of free regional events where select local athletes between the ages of 14 and 25 participate in workouts measuring speed, power, strength and endurance. Performing in front of coaches and officials from a variety of national and provincial sport organizations, results are measured against performance benchmarks to determine an athlete's capacity for sport at its highest level.

"Our nation is filled with talented athletes and we know that Olympic dreams don’t always follow the same path,” said Eric Myles, executive director of Sport, COC. “By creating a stage where our sport federations can find new talent, and then providing financial support to the athletes who show the most promise, RBC is filling a gap in our high performance sport model and making a very real and positive contribution to our nation's Olympic future."

The following identified athletes receive additional assistance such as funding, resources, coaching and/or mentorship through the COF and RBC. The support is administered through the National Sport Organization (NSO) the athlete agrees to work with. National sport governing bodies who participated in RBC Training Ground included Athletics Canada, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, Canoe Kayak Canada, Cycling Canada, Rowing Canada and Rugby Canada.

ATHLETE

IDENTIFIED SPORT

HOMETOWN

Christophe Normand

Rugby Men's

Bromont QC

Colin Phillips

Rugby Men's

North York ON

Caleb Jordan

Rugby Men's

Lasalle QC

Andre Ford Azowanna

Athletics

Toronto ON

Pierce LePage

Athletics

Whitby ON

Roland Dodoo

Athletics

Oakville ON

Jellisa Westney

Athletics

Cambridge ON

Tania Bambi

Athletics

Gatineau QC

Peter Collier

Athletics

Lower Sackville NS

Patrice St-Louis Pivin

Cycling

Sherbrooke QC

Kieanna Stephens

Rowing

Surrey BC

Emma Gray

Rowing

Winnipeg MB

Trevor Jones

Rowing

North Kawartha ON

Gabrielle Smith

Rowing

Montreal QC

Marilou Duvernay Tardif

Rowing

Saint Jean Baptiste QC

Tyler Adams

Rowing

Victoria BC

Cody Bailey

Rowing

Dartmouth NS

Marc Tarling

Canoe

Pointe-Claire QC

Liam O’Brien

Kayak

Dartmouth NS

Scott Braddon

Kayak

Ottawa ON

Tom Hall

Canoe

Dartmouth NS

Alanna Bray Loughheed

Kayak

Oakville ON

Madison MacKenzie

Kayak

Chelsea QC

Sarah Clancy

Bobsleigh

Toronto ON

Jeff McKeen

Bobsleigh

Ottawa ON

“RBC Training Ground is the catalyst that will link undiscovered Olympians with a sport that could excel them onto the podium," said Peter Shakespeare, Director of National Talent Identification and Development, Rowing Canada. "With the right training environment and support the athletes uncovered at these events could be wearing the Maple Leaf at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. RBC Training Ground truly exceeded our expectations in its first year, and we look forward to being a part of the program for years to come."

Program partners CBC/Radio-Canada, the COF and the COC have joined RBC in committing to RBC Training Ground for five years. CBC will help introduce Canadians to the athletes and their stories uncovered at each RBC Training Ground event over the upcoming year.